Safety device for aeroplanes



Dec. 1, 1931.

LE ROY ST. c. JEROME 1,834,623

SAFETY DEVICE FOR AEROPLANES Filecl'May 29, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1v 1 MIMI! f N VEN 7'01? Clair Jerome 1931- LE ROY ST. c. JEROME SAFETY DEVICE FOR AEROPLANES Filed May 29, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR er C/a/r-Jera M Horney Patented Dec. 1, 1931 LE ROY'ST. CLAIR JEROME, E GLANFORD STATION, ONTARIO, CANADA SAFETY DEVICE FOR AEROP-LANES Application filed May 29, 1930. Serial no. 456,975.

This present invention relates, to certain new and useful improvements in a safety device for an aeroplane.

The primary object of the invention re '5 sides in the provision of a safety device for an aeroplane which will serve to automatically maintain the equilibrium of the aeroplane.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a safety device for an aeroplane which will serve to counteracttendencies for the aeroplane to go into a tail-spin,

The invention has for a further object the provision of a safety device for an aeroplane of the character stated which will efiiciently maintain the aeroplane in balance and bring the same out of a tail-spin, side slip or the like. y

The invention has for a further object the provision of a safety device for an aeroplane 26 of the character stated which may be readily incorporated in an aeroplane structure such as the lei-plane, monoplane and similar types without extensive alterations therein.

The invention has for a still further object the provision of a safety device for an aeroplane of the character stated which operates below a plane or wing and at right angles thereto for controlling a vertical rudder member at the rear of the aeroplane body or fuselage.

The invention has for a still further object the provision of a safety device for an aeroplane of the character stated including a pair of horizontally swinging ailerons beneath a wing of the aeroplane and operatively connected with one another and also with the horizontally swinging rudder member at the rear of the aeroplane structure to turn said horizontally swinging rudder member in an opposite direction to the direction of swingtensive alterations in the aeroplane structure,

thus providing a proposition.

commercially attractive To theaccomplishment of these and related ob]ects as shall become apparent as the description pr oceeds, my invention rebi-plane type of a tion incorporated Figure 2 is a front elevation of the shown in Figure 1;

eroplane with the inventherein;

machine Figure 3 is a side elevation thereof; and F gure 4 is an enlarged detail fragmentary section, taken substantially on the plane of line 44 of Figure 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring more in detail to the drawings,

it is to be noted that a pair of ailerons 6 are Y arranged beneath the opposite side portions of the upper plane or wings intermediate the fuselage 8 and the outer extremities or ends 9 of the upper plane or wings 7. The ailerons 6 are mounted in vertical planes on the aileron supporting posts 10 extended through the forward comparatively wide sides thereof, with the upper and lower ends of the rods 10 rotatable in the upper plane or wings 7 and the lower plane or wings 11. This arrangement is particularly adapted to the type of aeropla ne known as the bi-plane.

The ailerons supporting posts 10 are located near the forward edges of the planes or wings 7 and 11 and the forward vertical edges of the ailerons 6 are rounded. These ailerons 6 decrease in thickness constantly toward their rounded rear vertical edges and from the rear edge of ca bracket 12 having rotatable thereln.

ch aileron 6 is extended a an upstanding roller, 13

An endless cable 1 L isemployed for connecting the ailerons 6 and is extended transversely of the machine, being passed over and attached to the rollers 13. The endless cable 1 1- is also extended around the guide pulley 15 mounted in appropriate brackets 16 extending rearwardly from the rear pair of vertical struts or standards 17 extending between the upper plane or wings 7 and the lower plane or wings 11, some distance inwardly of the rear edges thereof and also inwardly of the ends of the planes or wings 7 and 11, although outwardly of the respective ailerons 6. A forward pair of vertical struts or standards 18 is also located near the forward edges of the planes or wings 7 and 11 and opposite the struts or standards 17-. After being passed around the guide pulley 15, the, endless cable M is extended into the fuselage 8, passed around guidepulleys 19 and then directed forwardly and attached to the opposite end portion of the hand actuated control bar 20, located forwardly of the operators seat 21. This con trol bar 20 is arranged in a horizontal plane and fulcrumed intermediate its ends on an appropriate support. Flexible members 22 extend rearwardly from the opposite end portions of the control bar 20, within the fuselage 8 and connect at their rear ends to opposite guide faces of the vertical rudder member 23, adapted to swing horizontally to the rearwardly directed portion 2 1 of the horizontal rudder member 25.

As the construction of the device has thus been described in detail, brief reference is now had to its use and modus operandi: 'The air current will operate on the faces of the ailerons 6 to counteract tendencies of the aeroplane to be thrown off of its course or out of balance, the ailerons 6 and the vertical rudder member 23 co-operating to maintain the aeroplane in normal position. WVhen required, the control valve 20 may be operated by hand or by foot, according to the location of the control bar 20 in the fuselage 8. As the control bar 20 is operated, the ailerons 6 are turned in unison and the vertical rudder member 23 is also turned in the reverse direction. The operation of the ailerons 6 and the vertical rudder member23 in this manner will serve to effectively bring the aeroplane out of a side slip or tail-spin and return the aeroplane to normal balanced position to continue its travel. I Thus, it is an easy manner to maintain the equilibrium of the aeroplane equipped with this safety device.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be manifest that a safety device for an aeroplane is provided that will fulfill all the necessary requirements of such a device but as many changes could be made in the above description and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention may be constructed within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matters contained in the said accompanying specification and drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limited sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A safety device for an aeroplane including upper and lower planes; Vertical supporting struts between said upper and lower plan-es inwardly of the ends thereof; a pair of ailerons supported between said upper and lower planes and inwardly of the said vertical struts; said ailerons being pivotally mounted at their outer edges for swinging in horizontal planes; a cable connecting said ailerons at their rear edges; supporting and guiding means for said cable carried by the rear vertical struts; a control bar fulcrumed in the fuselage of the aeroplane intermediate the ends of said control bar; said cable being connected with opposite end portions of said control bar; additional guiding means for said cable; a vertical rudder member for said aeroplane; and flexible connections between the opposite side faces of said vertical rudder member and the opposite end portions of said control bar.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

LE-ROY ST. CLAIR JEROME. [L. 5.] 

